Right Beaches › California › Montecito
Butterfly Beach
4.7★ · 373 Google ratings · Montecito, California
✓ Parking✓ Short walk✓ Free
At a glance
Parking
500 yd away · free
Walk
100 ft · under a minute
Restrooms
None reported
Cost
Free
Water
69°F · modelled, no buoy nearby
Length
1.7 miles of shoreline
Sand
220 ft from the water to the back
Water quality
Good · 4% of 96 over the limit · 2025
Crowds
Quietest Sun 8am
Map of Butterfly Beach
Guide
Good to know
Ideal for quiet walks and solitude
The beach attracts fewer crowds than nearby alternatives, with peaceful benches and rocky nooks suited for reflection.
Free parking reported
Visitors report no charge to park here.Mentioned by 4 visitors · 2016–2026
Check tide times before visiting
At high tide, the beach narrows significantly or disappears entirely, leaving little sand to sit.
Arrive early on weekends
Street parking fills quickly in afternoons and on weekends, though spaces typically open up if you wait.
Bring your own chair and facilities
There are no public restrooms, and reviewers recommend bringing your own seating since sand space is limited.
Conditions
How it is right now
Air
67°F · clear
Water
69°F · modelled, no buoy nearby
Waves
3.1 ft · 6 s apart
Wind
5 mph from the ESE
Shelter
Cross-shore · wind running along the beach
UV index
7 peak today
| Time | Tide | Height |
|---|---|---|
| 15:45 | High tide | ↑ |
Last updated Sep 4, 5:33 AM.
Crowds
When it gets busy
| 8a | 9a | 10a | 11a | 12p | 1p | 2p | 3p | 4p | 5p | 6p | 7p | |
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QuietBusy
Practical
Plan your visit
📍 1233 Channel Dr #1101, Montecito, CA 93108
🅿 Parking 500 yd from the listing
🌊 Water 100 ft away, under a minute walk
Nearby
Other beaches close by
825 yd away
1.7 miles away
2.5 miles away
2.5 miles away
2.6 miles away
3.2 miles away
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Questions
Common questions
Where do you park at Butterfly Beach?
The nearest mapped parking area is 500 yd from the listed location. Positions come from OpenStreetMap, not from review text.
How far is the walk to the water at Butterfly Beach?
100 ft in a straight line from the listing to the mapped shoreline, under a minute. Soft sand and dune make the real walk longer than the straight line.
Does Butterfly Beach have restrooms?
No restrooms are mapped within 600 m on OpenStreetMap. That means nobody has mapped any, which is not the same as there being none.
When is Butterfly Beach least busy?
Google visit patterns put the quietest hour at Sun 8am and the busiest at Sun 4pm.
Measured from OpenStreetMap, public aerial imagery and live conditions data, and counted from visitor reviews. Every source, in full.
